Radix

(2013), 13′
trumpet in C, trumpet in Bb, horn, trombone, tuba

Recordings

Commissioned by Ensemble Schwerpunkt (with support from Madetoja Foundation and Svenska Kulturfonden)

Premiere: Ensemble Schwerpunkt, Helsinki (Finland), 5 November 2013

Program Note

Quite early in the composition process of my brass quintet Radix (2013), it became clear that the brass instruments have a lot of material potential. Compared to string and woodwind instruments, the properties in brass seemed to be somewhat understudied. With the help of several broad-minded brass players in my geographically most immediate circle of musicians, we investigated the possibilities by starting truly from the root of the matter: air, tubes, vibrations. Later: combining, applying, repositioning.

Radix was commissioned by the remarkably international Ensemble  Schwerpunkt, with funds provided by Madetoja Foundation (Madetoja-säätiö) and Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland (Svenska kulturfonden).

It is dedicated to the members of Ensemble Schwerpunkt: Janne Jakobsson, Matthew Brown, Cecilie Marie Schwagers, Mikael Rudolfsson, and Matthew Sadler.